Extension crutch or cane.



E. F. ENGSTRQM.

EXTENSION CRUTCH OR CANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4| 191.5.

1 ,1 92,290. Patented July 25, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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EXTENSION CBUTCH 0R CANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4, 1915.

Patented July 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, rate.

Application filed August 4, 1915. Serial No. 43,631. g

To all uikom it may concern: Be it'known that I, ERNST F. ENGSTROM,

a citizen of the United States, residin at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and tate of Nebraska, have invented new and useful.

Improvements in Extension Orutches or Canes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an extension crutch orcane, and the object of the invention is to rovide a crutch or cane which may be varied in length as occasionmay re quire, and is thus adapted especially for hospital use, in enabling-a single crutch or cane to be employed from time to time by different patients. p n

A further object of the invention is to provide a crutch or cane having an extensible section which embodies means whereby it-may be telescopically adjusted 1 an'dis provided with a threaded and and securely locked in adjusted osition. A still further object of the invention is to provide an extensible crutch having a handle which may be adjusted upon the staff to difierent positions with relation to the shoulder piece and tread surfaces of the crutch, as the length of thecrutch is varied to suit difl'erent patients.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an outer side elevation of an extension crutch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig.

3 is an outer-side elevation on'an enlarged,

scale of the stafl? and adjustable handle and showin the construction of the latter. Fig. 4 is a ront elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 55' of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the extension section of the crutch or cane, a' portion of the outer tube or sleeve being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section Fig. 8 is a horizontal through the same. transverse section on the line 88 of Fig. 6 showing the bolt in looking position. Fig. 9

is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the bolt in released position. Fig. 10' is a vertical lFongitudinal seotion on the line 1010 of 1g.-9. K

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the rod or staff of the crutch or cane, the invention being shown in the present instance as applied toja crutch, although it is to be understood that it may with equal efliciency be applied to a cane. This rod or staff 1 carries at its upper end a padded shoulder piece 2 .and at a suitable point below the shoulder. piece an adjustablehandle 3. This handle 3 comprises a sleeve 4 provided with yoke arms 5 connected at their extremities 'by a rod 6 on which is mounted a rollergrip 7. The sleeve is pro- Vided with a locking spring 8 carrying a dog or pawl 9 in the form of a lug working inan opening in the sleeve and adapted to v engage any one of a series of keeper recesses 10 in the rod or staff 1, whereby the handle may be disposed at different elevations on said rod or staif, as occasion may require.

The rod or stafl' 1 is provided yvlth an extension. section '11 comprising a pan of telescopic tubes 12 and 13. The tube'12, is

suitably secured at its inner end to the staif tapered-outer end 14 of sufficient resiliency f for expansion and contraction and which is engaged by an internally tapered and threaded clamping collar 15, whereby said portion 14 may be expanded and contracted to release or grip the tube 13.

' The tube 13 is fittedv to slide within the 'tube' -12"to "vary the length of the crutch or cane and is closedat ,its outer end by a threaded tubular holder 16 carrying an elastic shock absorbing tread piece 17 of rubbined bracing and stop flange 20. If desired the flanges 20 may be formed of the metal displaced toproduce the slots 18, as will be readily understood.

Garried by the tube 12 is a cross pm or bolt 21 which is slidable in the slots 18 and is adapted to engage and interlock with the notches or recesses 19. As shown, the notches or recesses are arranged in spaced relation at difierent elevations, and the tube 13 is adjustable through the sliding of the pin 21 in the slots when said slots and pin are in registry, so that the tube 13 may be adjusted to any predetermined extent to bring the locking pin into alinement with opposed recesses at opposite sides of the tube, whereby said tube maybe locked in a variety of one direction the pin 21 will be seated in the notches 19 at the same level, while when said tube is turned to its limit in the opposite direction the pin will abut against the flanges 20 which will thus serve as stops, the use of the flanges 20 strengthening the 1 slotted portion of the tube 13 to withstand theimposed strains." When the pin is seated in the desired notchesto project the tube 13 .to the required extent, the tubes may be clamped against relative motion by screw- 7 readily understood.

'- It will thus be seen that my'invention pro- 'may' be adjusted to vary'the length Qfthe rod ors tafl; which adjustable or extensible section may be applied to crutches or to canes or to other similar supporting and. walking sta'fls. T It will also be seen thatthrough the construction. 7 described the; length of the stafis may bed varied while at g up the clamping collar-15, as will be vides a rod or 'staflz' having a section whichthe same time the position of the handle may be varied to accord vtherewith. Of course, in the application of the invention toa cane the handle and shoulder piece will be dispensed with. c

The invention will be found of great advantage in the construction and use of crutches andfcanes for hospitals, etc., in

enabling the number of crutches or canes reduced, since the necessity of providing a wide range of difierent sizes of crutches or canes will be avoided vI-claim:- v

A device of the character described including a. stafi a tube projecting from the staff; a second tube slidably engaging the first-named tube, one of said tubes being provided with longitudinally extending slots and diametrically disposed keeper recesses at opposite sides of said slots, and the other of -said tubes having a pin to interlock with said slots, strengthening and bracing flanges upon the slot walls of the slotted tube, and

means for holding said tubes against relative movement. 7 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. i v ERNST F. ENGSTROMI. Witnesses: a

' Penn G. Fno'rnow,

, CHARLES R. MOREARTY.

constituting a part of the equipment to be 

